Education: October 2007 Archives

"The Challenger Center for Space Science Education has added three new members to its board of Directors. Meeting in Alexandria, Virginia last week, the Challenger Center's sitting board welcomed its new members aboard for three year terms. Added to the board were: Leroy Chiao, Carol Staubach, and Keith Cowing. .... Commenting on the new additions to the board, Challenger Center Founding Chairman and Board member June Scobee Rodgers said: "The Challenger Center concept began during a conversation in my home among the families of Challenger. In the two decades that have followed, more than 8 million students have been inspired and enriched by the Challenger Learning Centers - and our mission has only just begun!"

"Exploration reaps benefits for all involved - whether they go on the trip - or stay at home. Yet there are risks inherent in all forms of exploration that accompany these benefits. No one knows this better than June Scobee Rodgers."

Categories:

"Want to help unravel the mysteries of the universe? A new distributed computing project designed by a University of Illinois researcher allows people around the world to participate in cutting-edge cosmology research by donating their unused computing cycles. The project is called Cosmology@Home, and is similar to SETI@Home, a popular program that searches radio telescope data for evidence of extraterrestrial transmissions."

"The Challenger Center for Space Science is pleased announce that Rita Karl has been named Director of Educational Programs. Ms. Karl has over 20 years of national and international experience designing and directing educational programs for NASA and in U.S. international development."

"Two more of NASA's classroom teachers turned astronauts have been assigned to their first spaceflights. Ricky Arnold and Joe Acaba, who left teaching posts three years ago to join NASA's astronaut corps, are among seven astronauts assigned to the same assembly mission to the international space station. Scheduled for the fall of 2008, the mission will deliver the last of four solar power modules to the orbital outpost."

Categories:

"Here are some ways I think they could make Star Trek better for kids my age. Star Treks vision of the future has almost become a reality, because now we see automatic doors, cell phones, and microwaves every day. Maybe when they make a new Star Trek, they should give us a new vision of the future that we havent seen already."

Categories:

"On October 18th, the Department of Labor (DOL) invited the Challenger Center for Space Science to participate in a conference with state lieutenant governors, NASA and leaders in aerospace education and industry. Discussions sparked by keynote speaker Dr. Eric Jolly, President of the Science Museum of Minnesota focused on the need for innovative solutions to inspire and motivate today's youth in the core subject areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to meet a critical shortfall of engineers in the workforce as baby boomers begin collecting their Social Security and leaving the workforce in droves."

Categories:

"The ten finalists for the inaugural Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation* Award will have their ideas on display at the 2007 X PRIZE Cup. Teams of high school students from all over the United States proposed ideas that could accelerate the personal spaceflight industry. Winners will be chosen by popular vote and announced at the closing ceremonies on Sunday, October 28, at noon. The first place team will receive a $5,000 grant, followed by $2,500 for second place and $1,500 for third."

Categories:

"A portal to the heavens is opening in the Evansville Museum's parking lot this week. Housed in at 53-foot-long semitrailer, NASA's "Vision for Space Exploration Experience" exhibition, an interactive multimedia virtual encounter with the cosmos, will settle in the museum's parking lot sometime today."

Editor's note: Great news, ESMD! I seem to have missed the press release. Gee, why tell anyone what you are doing?

Categories:

"Who could blame Richard Garriott? He grew up in Houston, surrounded by astronauts, including his dad Owen. He wasn't particularly turned on by math and science, but he did have a sharp eye for engineering -- computer games that is. By the time he was in high school, he was earning more than his astronaut dad. He tried college, but as the game business grew, his grades flagged until finally he dropped out. Garriott, 46, is ready now to make a daring play in a game that's been building for 10 years. Unlike the quests in his medieval/fantasy series Ultima, the new gig is for real. Garriott is going to space like dear ole' dad, but he's doing it the new-fashioned way: by making out a check for $30 million."

Categories:

"In the future, astronauts will use plants to provide food, oxygen, clean water and waste recycling while living on the Moon. Join the Challenger Center for Space Science Education and NASA's K-12 Engineering Design Challenge and design a mini-greenhouse for use by future astronauts living and working on the moon. Challenger Center is pleased to announce a series of live interactive chats with NASA expert space farmers on October 16th, 23rd, and 30th at 2:00 (ET) giving students and teachers the opportunity to discuss their ideas for growing plants on a future lunar base."

"The Northrop Grumman Foundation launched 53 teachers from the greater Los Angeles area into weightlessness today as part of the Northrop Grumman Foundation Weightless Flights of Discovery program. The goal: To inspire and prepare the next generation of scientists, mathematicians and engineers - critical areas where the U.S. has fallen behind globally."

Categories:

"On October 4, the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, the International Space University (ISU) will be conducting a 10-day auction on eBay of unusual and interesting Space-related and Sputnik/Apollo era items. Turn your office or home into a museum, dine with an astronaut, party with a movie director, attend a rocket launch, own priceless books and memorabilia, send a payload to orbit, all of these are at your finger tips through an eBay auction."

Categories:

"The donation will be split equally between Chicago's Adler Planetarium and the Museum of Science and Industry where the money will be used to create educational exhibits and programming that will inspire young people to pursue careers in areas associated with science and technology."

Categories:

"As chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, I see the unique role that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plays in supporting math and science education. NASA's inspiring science, aeronautics, and human space flight and exploration missions are a natural attraction for children and students. In addition, NASA's educational initiatives can provide direct assistance to building science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills in pre-kindergarten through post-doctoral students."

"America's manned space exploration inspired generations of students, but we are falling behind other nations in the number of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduates. Congress is working to improve those numbers in a host of ways, and keeping manned space exploration a top priority is one of the best motivators we could have."

Performance - Collecting performance data consistently and annually for all program activities, reporting performance against the program's established metrics and targets, and using results to improve performance. - No action taken

Performance - Conducting independent evaluations to assess the program's effectiveness and efficiency against the program's established metrics and performance goals and applying resources based on the results. - No action taken

This website does not have any connection whatsoever with, endorsement by, or authorization from, the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration nor does any product or service being offered or made available to the public have the authorization, support, sponsorship,
or endorsement of, or the development, use, or manufacture by or on behalf of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration